Matthew 5: 43-48 Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you

Jesus is an amazing person.  He is teaching us to be like him.

How do we do this?  In the first reading today Moses is telling the people that we are God's people.  We are to keep his commands.  God will be with us because he has made this covenant, this agreement with us. 

Jesus however reminds us again that it is not enough to follow the commands.  He tells us that although we were told before "to love our neighbor and hate our enemy.  But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you." 

Jesus came not to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it.  In catechism we are taught that the Laws were to serve as guides that would teach us how to live as holy people.  Jesus is that culmination, he is holy.  He has become God made man.  He invites us to follow him.  We don't have to wait until tomorrow.  "Now is the acceptable time." God is with us in the present moment. 

Reflection Mt 25: 31-46 The Face of God Is in Our Brother

“You shall not bear hatred in your heart for your brother.” The Lord commands through Moses.  How many times have we each felt someone’s wrath, annoyance toward us, or just that look that left us crushed?  When we acknowledge how we feel, then suddenly we know it is wrong to hate others.  Perhaps our anger will melt into compassion and understanding especially when we recall in today’s Gospel that Jesus reminds us that he is those people that we help, that we give encouragement; he is within the hungry, the thirsty and the poor.  Mother Theresa called this Jesus’ “distressing disguise of the poor” when he appeared to her in the form of those who needed help. 

Christ is in each of us.  Do you recall Jesus told us that he would send us the Paraclete to help us discern what we must do to continue on the Way?  Jesus also told us “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (Jn 14:15) And what was his command?  “Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you should love one another.” (Jn 13:34)  Isn’t that what Jesus is reiterating today when he tells us, “I was hungry and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me,” explaining that whenever the disciples or we ‘do it for the least brothers of mine, you did it for me.” (Mt 25:35-36, 40)  Let us be certain that when we give, we give to Christ and for Christ in whatever form we meet him with charitable hearts that preserves the dignity of our brethren for our love of God.  Amen.